Many people are quick to blame fast-food restaurants for the rising rates of obesity, but are places like McDonalds and Subway really to blame, or are they just an easy excuse for the poor decisions we make when it comes to food choices? I believe that obesity is not the fault of the people that make the food, but the fault of the people who buy it, and there are two main reasons why. Firstly, no one is forcing you to eat fast food. Yes, their smart advertising may make it seem impossible to resist their food, but it is your personal choice whether you decide to eat it or not. Secondly, by law, all nutrition information is written on the packaging of the food item. You know what you are eating, you know the consequences, but it all comes down to what you choose to do. People are always looking for someone to blame and the fast-food industry is always the target.
Picture this, you are driving home from a long, hard day of work and you see a Hungry Jacks advertisement that states “5 for $5.95! Grab our delicious nuggets, mouthwatering cheeseburger, legendary small fries, small drink, and mini drumstick ice cream for only $5.95!” It would seem ridiculous to turn down that offer, right? This is called smart advertising, where brands use catchy slogans, incredible images, cheap prices, and meal deals, to make fast food look and sound appealing, and make it almost impossible for customers to resist their products. But in saying this, this is no excuse. No one is threatening you, no one is brainwashing you, and no one is pressuring you to eat these incredibly fattening foods. At the end of the day, it all comes down to your personal decision, on what you decide to put in your mouth. The whole matter of the subject is a choice, no one is forcing you to buy it.
Let’s face it, in the case of obesity people are looking for people to blame for their problem, but the hard reality is that they are to blame. Many people try and use the “but we don’t know the ingredients in these products, so it can’t possibly be our fault that the foods we eat are causing us to become overweight” excuse when it comes to consuming fast food items, but truth be told, this statement is a lie. By law, all packaging must state the ingredients and nutrition facts. The New South Wales Food Authority states that food labeling informs the consumer of the properties of food offered for sale. The information presented on the label must be visible on the outside of the package, be obvious and must not mislead the consumer.
All in all, the matter of all this is that it is a choice to eat healthily or not. Companies like Dominos and KFC may provide the bad food, but that certainly doesn’t mean you have to eat it. You are the driver of your life, you may be on the wrong street but you can always turn around or find another street to go down. So before you go to blame the fast-food industry for the rising rates of obesity, think to yourself, who’s fault is it really?